Heroes | November 7th, 1983
steve harrington x oc
(this entry contains: pining, yearning, slow burn, teen angst, unrequited love, childhood best friends, best friends, friends with benefits, sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, smoking, drinking, david bowie, vampires, potentially erotic soccer playing, dungeons, dragons, and the incurable desire to be known)
word count: 2.1k
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from the diary of Sara Henderson: writer, actor, biter, striker, team player, good with kids
dedicated to her brother, Dustin, and her best friend, Steve. may they never, ever read this!
i might be in the library…
November 7th, 1983
I can’t discern the sound that wakes me up. Realizing it’s a symphony of both my alarm and the phone, I hit the clock and drag myself to my desk. Mom is at work so I play receptionist in the mornings. I clear my voice before answering the phone.
“Hel-” I am immediately cut off.
“Sara?” Joyce. My mind immediately runs away from me. It’s not unusual for her to call, but being almost frantic first thing in the morning?
“Y-yeah?” Is all I can manage as I snap into the day. Her words are on top of mine.
“Did Will stay over last night?” Will doesn’t stay over here. I mean, he has before but it’s not exactly something that would happen on a whim.
“Oh, no. He rode his bike home from the Wheeler's. I saw him… he was with Dustin. He went right past our house…” Right?
“And you haven’t seen him?” She’s seemingly trying to keep herself together.
“No. Didn’t he make it home last night?”
“I’m sure he just left before I saw him this morning.” This isn’t normal. I can tell she’s scared. I’d be worried, too. I’m like her in that way. Seems I have more in common with 40 year old mothers every day. Bummer.
“Ok, I’ll-”
“Thank you, Sara. Bye.” The line disconnected before I could say anything else. Huh. Business as usual? I put the phone back and haul myself to Dustin’s door.
“Morning!” I knock loud enough to wake him and wait for a response. A loud groan tells me all I need to know. He’s awake and he’ll join the rest of the world shortly.
What’s going on with Will? I don’t want to tell Dustin yet. It could be nothing so there’s no reason to worry him, right? For now, I’ll pretend everything is normal. Nothing I haven’t already been doing so what else is new?
Just go through the motions as usual. Make breakfast, get ready, make sure Dustin leaves for school on time.
I grab some bowls of cereal, put them on the table and- no milk. Shit. Just add it to the list and I’ll grab it later. Change of plans. I grab two muffins and throw some bacon on the stove. Be right back. Get dressed quickly and of course all my sweaters are dirty. I guess I’ll do laundry when I get home. Short sleeves. Just throw a jacket over and it’ll be fine. Bra, boots, bag, blush books… bacon. I throw everything into my backpack and run back into the kitchen. Almost burnt. Good enough timing.
“Come on, Dustin. Breakfast.” I call, pouring him a glass of juice and putting on a pot of coffee. By the time I set the table and take a moment to sit, I hear his door open, then close. He clumps to the kitchen and drops his things.
“Good morning.” He says, clearly still tired.
“Good morning. Did you get your homework done?” He nods as he bites into his muffin. There has to be something for us to talk about.
“I have some time this week to write a campaign for you guys.” No I don’t. “You could play it this weekend.”
“That could be cool. We just have to finish our other campaign first.”
“Then I’ll have it for you next weekend.”
“Awesome.” He smiles
That worked. Kinda how it used to be. Dustin and I actually have a lot in common. I’m not sure if that is more embarrassing for me or for him. We both finished our food quickly since it wasn’t much and we were on our way out. I hand him his hat and pour some coffee to go. Plenty of cream and lots of sugar.
“Be safe.” I tell him as he gets on his bike.
“I know.” He says. “See you later.”
“Later.” I wave as he rides off. Following his lead, I get in my car and make my way to school.
Sweetly reminiscent,
Something mother used to bake
Hawkins High has an unspoken rule about parking spots. They’re not assigned but they might as well be. My spot is the fifth down the second aisle, facing north. Steve parks on my left, the sixth spot. 99% of the time, I beat Steve to school. The 1% is the days I don’t show up. I leave a little note on his windshield every morning. Mostly meaningless, they are usually just lyrics or Shakespeare or drawings.
“Thy sin’s not accidental, but a trade.”
I’ll explain it to him eventually. I won’t see him until class, but somehow I feel his lingering presence as I pass Nancy in the hall. She’s a little preoccupied reading some note so neither of us really acknowledge the other. She’s not quite my friend but we’re more than acquaintances. I don’t know what to call that. Well now she’s like my friend's almost girlfriend? Whatever, just keep walking to class.
I save a seat for Steve. I want to sit closer to the front, he wants to sit in the back. We sit in the middle. He walks in right before the bell in a manner that I would call oddly peppy.
“She’s got you good, Romeo.” I whisper.
“And I’m gonna see her again tonight.” Almost jumping for joy in and out of his seat.
“You are a real winner.” I grab the notes from my bag and hand them to him. “Don’t let me down now that you have other prospects.”
“Have I ever?” Hand over heart, he looks at me.
thy sin’s not accidental, but a trade
Hours pass by. I think about Will and my brother. It somehow makes the day go by faster. Soon, I’m walking back to my car with Steve.
“I’ll let you know how it goes.” Please don’t.
“Oh good. Disgusting amounts of detail please.” I will throw up if you say anything weird.
“Yeah you wish.” He opens my door and nudges me into the seat. I should run him over.
“Gross. I’ll talk to you later. Don’t forget-” He cuts me off as I start the car.
“The notes. I’ve got it. Bye” He closes my door. Rolling my eyes, I wave to him and drive away. Off to my destined duties and to not think about him swapping spit with Nancy.
By the time I’m home from the store, the sun is just about to set. Dustin is home, sitting at the kitchen table as I walk in. Usually he would be at Mike’s.
“Hey Dust, I didn’t think you’d be here. How was school?”
“The same as it always is I guess. Except for the part where the cops told us that Will is missing.” So it’s real and it’s only getting realer. He won’t be happy if he finds out I knew something was wrong.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know, I guess he didn’t get home last night. We answered their questions but we should be out there helping.” Absolutely not. There is a line when it comes to me getting into trouble and this would probably be crossing it. I especially need to keep Dustin out of it. I take a deep breath.
“Look, I am sorry that they can’t find Will but there isn’t much that we can do. If the police are looking for him then let’s not interfere. You’ve already helped by telling them what you know.”
“I was gonna go to Mike’s and…” Here we go.
“You know I can’t let you. Not until we know-”
“Please, Sara.” I kneel down next to him, really needing him to hear me.
“I have to keep you safe, especially now. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” He goes to his room without another word. I don’t try to stop him. At least he’s not in danger there. I’ll just try again later.
Unpack groceries, start laundry, make dinner. Go team! Except that the team is me, myself, and I.
Dinner is quick. Just some spaghetti for tonight. I don’t have the time or the desire to make anything else. Dustin says he’s not hungry. I’ll try again a little later.
Not too much homework tonight. It’s mostly Latin, which is probably the most cerebral class I’m taking. Steve thinks it’s funny, but I’m not the one struggling in Spanish. Mom gets home, thanks me for the groceries, and goes to bed by the time I’m done. I check the clock and it’s already 9. Time to try appealing to Dustin one last time. I know that he’s worried, I am too. We really are similar, which is why I know what will work on him. I go to his bedroom door and knock.
“I got ice cream at the store if you want some.” Nothing.
“Dessert for dinner. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity you’re missing out on.” Still nothing. “Dustin!” I knock again. “Dustin?” Against my better judgment, I decide to open the door.
He’s not there.
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
Immediately I looked for his bike. Easiest way to know if he’s home. Nowhere to be found. Now, unlike last night, I shoot out of the house and am flying through the neighborhood. I go straight to the Wheeler’s, getting there in record, and law, breaking time. It’s really raining. I loathe driving in the rain. Almost there and I see Steve’s car parked a block away. Subtle.
As I approach the house, I notice the idiot in question trying to climb out of a window. Steve notices my car pull up. I don’t even turn the car off before getting out. I won’t be here long. He walks through the yard in a way that only he would describe as sneaky. Lucas scrambles out of the house right after. I nod him off, signaling him to get home.
“Be safe.” I warn. He nods before taking off on his bike. Dustin comes out right after, first in a hurry, but almost freezes when he sees me. Slowly making his way towards me, but Steve beats him.
“What are you doing here?” Steve asks. I simply point at Dustin.
“Uh oh. Someone’s in trouble.” Steve says as he starts to walk towards his car.
“You’re not setting a very good example.” I joke.
“Neither are you.” He shrugs, slipping me a pack of cigarettes he must have swiped from me earlier.
“See you later” And he’s off. Just in time for Dustin to take his place.
“What do I always tell you? Don’t do anything stupid, don’t do anything dangerous, and don’t be like him.” I gesture to Steve and turn to open my trunk for his bike.
“Are you mad?” I really want to be.
“I’m just glad you’re safe.” I take his bike. “Get in.” And he does.
This is the first night we drive home without music.
He seems pretty shaken up and I can’t tell if it’s because he got caught or if it’s something else. What happened tonight, and where is Will? It’s not quiet for long.
“You’re not in trouble.” Let’s get that out of the way.
“Are you gonna tell mom?” And get us both in trouble?
“I won’t. Unless you want me to.” Clearly a joke. That is the last thing either of us want. He laughs a little.
“Good idea.” He says and I grin.
“But I will tell you that what you did tonight was a new level of stupid. You completely ignored everything I’ve told you.”
“I know… what do you mean by ‘don't be like Steve?’” I’ll tell you when you’re older or whatever parents say.
“Just that… he does stupid things and you, Dustin, are not stupid. So I don’t want you acting like it.” Stellar big sister advice if I do say so myself.
“Do you think Steve is a douchebag?” Yes.
“Yes.” Honesty. Without hesitation.
“So why are you friends with him?” Well. What do I say to that? Because he’s Steve. That’s it. There’s not a way to explain it that would make sense. The closest I’ve got is because I think that I’m a douchebag too so it’s a birds of a feather thing. But I won’t say that to Dustin. Instead…
“He’s a good guy, I think.” A little rough.
“You think?”
“‘I think’ as in that’s what I believe. I believe that he is a good guy. That is why I’m friends with him. I always thought you liked Steve.”
“I don’t know, you just seem mad at him.” Not far off but just another thing I can’t explain.
“I’m not. It doesn’t matter.” Deflect. “What you did was stupid regardless of Steve. What were you guys even doing?”
“Nothing.” He snaps and the car is quiet again.
“You don’t have to tell me, but if you want to, you know?”
“Yeah, I know. No secrets.” He says.
“No secrets.” I say.
And it’s clear that neither of us mean it.
said you’d give me light
